Preview: Bangalore vs Hyderabad - Match 9

After a sensational game of cricket in the previous match, Bangalore take on Hyderabad once again, but this time on their home ground. Hyderabad will be high on their performance in the last game as they held their nerve under pressure to clinch a thriller that went into the first Super over of this year's league. Bangalore, on the other hand, would be looking forward to make amends and iron out the minute chinks in their armour.

Meanwhile, as spectators, we can expect another exciting contest with both teams trying to exert dominance over the other.

Bangalore

Team News: AB de Villiers, who missed out on first two matches due to prior commitment with the Nashua Titans (South African T20 team), is on his way to India. He is likely to join the team for the next game. His presence will definitely add more strength to the star-studded Bangalore squad.

In form player: Virat Kohli - Kohli started off well in both the games but unfortunately, has not been able to convert his innings into a big score. However, his aggressive batting has helped Bangalore post good scores to defend. Moreover, his fearless captaincy and bold decisions have aided in providing the team an edge over its competitors.

Hit: Moises Henriques - After losing quick wickets against Hyderabad, Henriques put up a 43-run stand along with skipper Kohli for the 4th wicket to stabilize Bangalore's innings. He hit five boundaries in his knock of 44 runs and looked in sublime form. In the second innings, he made useful contribution with the ball by picking up Parthiv Patel and Cameron White.

Miss: Tillakaratne Dilshan - Dilshan's lack of form should be a cause of worry for Bangalore since he has not been able to give them a decent start so far. He went for a duck in his first match and could only score 5 runs off 9 deliveries against Hyderabad before being bowled by Ishant Sharma. Dilshan will have to step up to the challenge and deliver by supporting Chris Gayle and giving the middle order batsmen something to build upon.

Hyderabad

Team News: With no Shikhar Dhawan and JP Duminy in the side, Hyderabad would be searching for a decent batting combination to contribute towards the score. They will need someone to give them a good start and then build upon that base to post a competitive total.

In form player: Hanuma Vihari - The 19-year old had a good day with the bat in the previous match scoring 44 off 46 balls as he held together Hyderabad's chase. He also bowled well dismissing Chris Gayle in the second over. Hopefully, Vihari's all-round form will help Hyderabad gain advantage over Bangalore in the next game too.

Hit: Bowling - Ishant Sharma's three wicket haul was ably supported by other bowlers to restrict Bangalore to a low score in the last match. Dale Steyn's fantastic display with the ball in the Super Over helped them pick up their second consecutive win in the tournament. Even in their opening game, Hyderabad were able to defend a meager 126 runs only with their disciplined bowling performance.

Miss: Batting - It is their primary concern right from the first match as they have struggled to reach a respectable total on sluggish pitches. Kumara Sangakkara, the Hyderabad skipper, has not been able to utilize his experience as a batsman and failed to contribute towards the score. Same goes for Parthiv Patel, Cameron White and others. Hyderabad will have to polish their lackluster batting unit to stand any chance on a quick Bangalore wicket.

Head to head: In their previous game, they played against each other in Hyderabad. The home team clinched a thrilling victory over Bangalore in the Super over.

Quotes:

Muralitharan rues about the Super over loss - "Actually we thought if we could restrict Hyderabad to less than 15 runs, we had a good chance because we had the likes of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli who could chase it down. It was going to be tough to get twenty in one over."

CB pick: Bangalore

Although Bangalore lost the previous game, they possess a much stronger team with a formidable batting line-up. Their bowlers have the ability to pick up wickets at regular intervals and their fielding has been noteworthy. They will be looking forward to avenge previous game's loss and secure their second win at home.